Sunday, March 30, 2014

First of all, where is Yabotenmangu and why did we go there? Because a couple of our friends who are also are frequent travel companions had started something earlier than us. Collection goshuin from temples and shrines. So, what is a goshuin? This is a little harder to explain.

To borrow from Wikipedia:
A shuin(朱印) is a seal stamp given to worshippers and visitors to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. The seal stamps are often collected in books called shuinchō(朱印帳) that are sold at shrines and temples.
The stamps are different from commemorative stamps in that they are made by people who work at the temples: Buddhist monks, or Shinto kannushi. To create the shuin, the writer presses down one or more large stamps, and then uses black ink to write, in his distinctive calligraphy, the name of the temple, the day of the visit, and other messages on and around the stamped portions.

The wife and I decided that we would also start collecting shuin from the different temples and shrines that we visit as well. The wife did a bit of research on the internet and found that the most popular shuincho was made by Yabotenmangu in Yaho, near Kunitachi - close to Tachikawa. We decided to purchase our shuincho there as well and we would receive our first shuin as well.

Before we reached Yabotenmangu, we found a place that makes these statues (and seemed to have a sense of humor)

谷保天満宮に着く前、こういう石像を作る会社を発見（そして、結構ユーモアある会社と思った）。

Entrance to Yabotenmangu / 谷保天満宮の参道

Hondo / 本堂

I'm sure there is some significance to this bull but what, I don't know.

この牛のご利益はなにかわかりませんが、多分なんかの理由はあるでしょう。

Ema / 絵馬

This is our goshuincho / 私たちが買った御朱印帳

Our first goshuin / 初の御朱印

Display inside one of the buildings / 神社の貴重品も展示されてます

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The plum trees were in full bloom when we went to Yabotenmangu.

谷保天満宮に行ったとき、梅の花が満開でした。

Just us being silly / 私たち遊んでます

It was such a nice day and since we were so near to Tachikawa, I suggested to my wife that maybe we should go to Takahata Fudoson as well and get one more goshuin today. She agreed and so our next destination was Takahata Fudoson.